Murder detectives seek to trace victim's movements

Rose Johnston's family described her as "kind, caring and compassionate"

Murder detectives investigating the death of a woman in her Liverpool home have appealed for help in establishing her final movements.

Rose Johnston was found on Ancroft Road in the Dovecot area of the city on 4 October. She died from a blunt-force head injury, Merseyside Police said.

Officers are still trying to establish a motive for Ms Johnston's killing and have appealed to anyone who may have seen her in the days leading up to the attack to come forward.

Det Ch Supt Mark Drew described the 68-year-old as a very generous and quiet woman who was "very active in and around the community".

Rose Johnston, 68, was found dead at her home on Ancroft Road in the Dovecot area of Liverpool

"Rose was a keen walker around the estate so we'd like people to focus around Thursday 2 October through to when she was found on the Saturday," he said.

"Rose would do her weekly shop – she would regularly donate food and parcels to homeless charities in the local supermarket.

"She was a very generous woman. I would imagine lots of people within the community knew who she was.

"While she was private, she was very active in and around the community."

Det Ch Supt Mark Drew has appealed to anyone with information to contact police

Det Ch Supt Drew said all lines of inquiry were being pursued and appealed to anyone with information or CCTV, doorbell footage or dashcam footage to contact the force.

"We want to encourage more people to come to speak to us if they have any information at all that may help us identify what happened to Rose," he said.

Police patrols are in place in the Dovecot area and a mobile police station has also been set up.

"I would encourage anyone within the community that has any concerns to go to the police station or speak to one of our passing patrols," Det Ch Supt Drew said.

A public portal has been also been set up for members of the public to submit information directly to the investigation team.